Russian Modern AEW&C Aircraft Makes Maiden Flight

The first Russian-built Beriev A-100 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft for the Russian Aerospace Forces made its maiden flight from the facility of Taganrog aviation scientific-technical complex (TANTK) named after G. M. Beriev on 18 November.

The aircraft was piloted by the crew of the TANTK. G.M. Beriev. During the flight checked its aerodynamic characteristics, the performance of avionics and part of the equipment of the radio engineering complex.

Beriev A-100 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft

The Beriev A-100 aircraft, which was constructed on the base of the Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) transport aircraft, is expected that A-100 will replace the Beriev A-50 Mainstay AWACS aircraft, which is currently in service of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Serial deliveries of the state-of-the-art AWACS aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces is expected to begin in 2020.